


The Ghoul Investigator and His Quinque

by PurpleFlyingBird



Category: Tokyo Ghoul
Genre: Amon and Kaneki talk, Angst and Tragedy, Coffee, Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, Friendship, Gen, Ghouls, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Quinque, Sad, Shironeki | White-haired Kaneki
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-10
Updated: 2018-07-17
Packaged: 2019-06-08 05:30:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,175
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15236406
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PurpleFlyingBird/pseuds/PurpleFlyingBird
Summary: Quinque (クインケ, kuinke): a weapon manufactured from a ghoul's kakuhou used by CCG ghoul investigators. Quinque emit electrical signals that stimulate the kakuhou to release and control it. They can be made into some type of melee or ranged weapon, but most retain a few characteristics from the original kagune.In which Amon gets a quinque that he never asked for.





	1. Part One

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I don't own Tokyo Ghoul.
> 
> Please enjoy Part One. :)

The CRC gas swirls around them like a fog, dense and opaque. Amon pays it no mind as he points his quinque at the white-haired ghoul before him, stopping the ghoul from getting back onto his feet. Eyepatch lifts his head at the sudden movement, an unfamiliar, hooked mask partially covering his face.

There was _blood_ on Eyepatch’s lips. _Was that Shinohara’s blood?_

A burning anger rages inside him, churning with the confusion and betrayal. He thought Eyepatch was _different!_  Eyepatch had _cried that_ night. _Was it all a lie?_ Amon growls at the ghoul, “That’s all, right? An ordinary ghoul is all you are, right?”

  _“That’s all, right?!”_ Amon roared, finally eliciting a response in the ghoul whose lips parted.

Amon watched, stunned once again, as a single tear rolled down Eyepatch’s cheek. The sound of nails scraping metal fills the hushed silence as Eyepatch clenched his hands, his whole body quivering.

Amon could see the ghoul’s kagune disintegrating, crackling and crumbling into crimson particles too small for the eye to see.

Bowing his head even lower into the floor, Eyepatch whispered brokenly, “I…don’t want to eat anymore…”

Amon closes his eyes and sighs, lowering his quinque.

“CRC gas has been activated! It’s all clear, move in!” A voice ordered, shattering the quiet that had fallen in the aftermath of their battle.

“I’ve found Investigator Mado!” Another voice called from somewhere near where Amon remembered lowering Akira down onto the floor. “She’s injured.”

“Transport her back to the medical van,” the first voice replied, “you three. Go and help them.”

“Yes, Sir!”

“Investigator Amon,” the voice had come from close behind him, so he turned to find himself facing one of the CCG’s bureau members, a high ranked one, if he remembered correctly. “If I were you, I would finish off that ghoul before it recovers.” The man’s tone was cold and indifferent as he spoke about Eyepatch’s fate, Amon struggled to supress a shiver.   

 _Eyepatch…_ With all these men watching, he was expected to kill this ghoul. To kill Eyepatch…

Even if the ghoul had been eating Shinohara only moments before, did he not deserve to live? Those tears just now…were they tears of remorse?

Amon looked down at the ghoul still bowing at his feet, making no move to escape. It was as if he was accepting the bureau investigator’s judgement. “Hey, Eyepatch,” he hissed quietly, trying to keep his voice at a volume only the ghoul could hear. “Go!”

Eyepatch froze and Amon heard the sound of a hitched breath. Amon tried again, _“Eyepatch!”_ The ghoul shook his head once. _Why isn’t he taking this chance to get away? Does he have a death wish?_ Amon hoped not. He had come to respect the ghoul despite their differences. He couldn’t quite put his finger on it but there was something… _human_ about the ghoul. Something that made Eyepatch unlike any of the malicious ghouls Amon had encountered over his career.

“He’s got a pulse! Investigator Shinohara is alive, Sir,” one of the bureau lackeys reported. “Sir, he’s unconscious.” An overwhelming sense of relief washed over Amon, nearly knocking him down onto his knees. _Alive. Shinohara is still alive. Eyepatch didn’t eat him._

Amon heard a sob escape the white-haired ghoul. _Is Eyepatch relieved too?_

“Take Investigator Shinohara to the van,” ordered the leader.

“Yes, Sir!”

“Investigator Amon,” stated the bureau leader, his tone emotionless. “Why haven’t you finished off that ghoul yet? It should be an easy kill for you. We don’t have all day, make it quick.”

“Sir. May I request that I take this ghoul in as my prisoner?” Amon asked. _That should buy him some time…_

The bureau investigator’s eyes narrowed as he considered Amon’s request. “If that is what you wish, Investigator Amon, yes, you may do so. Just be warned that transporting this ghoul is your responsibility and if anything should happen you will be held responsible for any consequences. Am I clear?”

_He could let Eyepatch escape while he transporting him…as long as the ghoul doesn’t hurt or kill anyone, it’ll work._

 “Yes, Sir. I will keep a close eye on him,” replied Amon, bowing at the bureau investigator.

“Make sure it doesn’t escape. If it does, you’ll be wishing the ghoul had eaten you first,” threatened the bureau investigator as he handed Amon a pair of handcuffs before walking away without a single glance back.

Even though he was now alone with the eye-patched ghoul again, Amon still had to be cautious as he felt the eyes of his subordinates staring at them from the sidelines as they tended to the others.

Carefully, Amon knelt down beside the ghoul, making sure that his back blocked the others’ view of his interaction with the ghoul before him. He gently placed a hand on top of the ghoul’s bowed head and noted how the tufts of white hair felt soft beneath his palm. “You can sit up now, Eyepatch,” said Amon, softly. “I won’t hurt you…I…don’t want to hurt you.”

Eyepatch curled inwards, his hands moving from the floor to cover his now mask-less face as he slowly sat up on his knees. “I…I don’t want to-” The ghoul broke off with a sob, “… _hurt_ _you_ too…I’m sorry…I’m sorry I bit you…that night…I didn’t have a choice…I couldn’t let you…I needed…”

 _A ghoul apologising? For biting him?_ When would Eyepatch ever stop surprising him? Amon smiled briefly at his train of thought before patting the ghoul on the shoulder. “Listen…Eyepatch. This is the only way I could think of that could give you enough time to get away. I would be honoured if you would co-operate with me, Eyepatch.”

“…Why?”  The word was muffled by the ghoul’s hands and was muttered almost too quietly for Amon to hear. “Why do you want me to escape? I’m a ghoul…”

“I’ve always wanted to talk with you, Eyepatch, ever since that night when you let me go,” answered Amon. “Live so that we can have a long chat someday.”

“That sounds nice…I’d like that,” murmured Eyepatch.

“Investigator Amon, Sir, the vans will be leaving in ten minutes,” reported one of the bureau lackeys from somewhere behind them.

“Where’s your mask?” Amon asked. _Not that it’ll matter much anyway, once he has been contained the others would probably remove the mask regardless._

“My mask?” Echoed the white-haired ghoul, confused. “I…I’m not sure...I think I lost it somewhere on the third floor. Why?”

“You’re still covering your face,” observed Amon, “I thought if it would make you more comfortable then you should wear it.”

“Oh…” Eyepatch’s right arm dropped away to reveal a youthful face, the only covered part remaining being his left eye, hidden from Amon’s eyes under the ghoul’s left hand. Their gazes met and Amon was astonished to see that the eye that was always concealed beneath the mask was perfectly healthy. It wasn’t missing, damaged, scarred or cloudy in appearance. _If the eye isn’t damaged, then why does he hide it? Why is he now hiding the other eye instead?_ Amon has already seen Eyepatch’s left eye before, so there was no reason for the ghoul to hide it from him.

Eyepatch’s single silver gaze flickered from Amon’s face to the quinque steel handcuffs he was holding. Wordlessly, the ghoul offered his free arm towards Amon, preferring to keep his other hand in its place as a make-shift eyepatch. “I’m sorry but I’ll need _both_ of your hands, Eyepatch.” Amon prompted, waiting patiently.

“Right…” The ghoul muttered, his gaze darting between Amon, the handcuffs and the bureau investigators scurrying about around them. Gradually, Eyepatch lowered his hand and offered it alongside the other hand.

“Thank you for your co-operation,” said Amon as he clicked the handcuffs into place around the ghoul’s wrists. When he glanced up, Amon’s next words faded on his tongue as he saw what the ghoul had been hiding from him. 

A single kakugan.

An iris the colour of a red spider lily bloomed in the inky black sclera, its ghoulish appearance contrasting with the stormy grey human eye beside it.

“You’re a…” _One-eyed ghoul._ The rest of the sentence went unheard as Amon stared, stunned, into the pair of mismatched eyes not unlike those of his two former students. _‘Yasuhisa Kurona and Nashiro…they had the same eyes. When I taught them back then, they were human. What does this mean?’_

Silently, Eyepatch stood, swaying slightly on his feet as he did so. Amon raised his quinque to the ghoul’s side to keep up appearances. “This way.” Amon said before he led the way out of the building, ignoring the awed gaping of the lower ranked investigators they passed.

The journey to the parked CCG vans was relatively uneventful, Eyepatch being compliant through the entire process even as he was being locked inside the back of the specialised ghoul-transporting van.

Eyepatch would most likely be contained in one of the cells in the 20th Ward’s headquarters. Ghouls are kept there temporarily when a permanent solution is unavailable. Then, they are either relocated into Cochlea or taken to the labs...

…Or **_disposed_** of.

Amon only hoped Eyepatch would be able to escape before it came to that.

* * *

“Did you hear? That _ghoul_ with them is the one who took down _Special Investigator Shinohara_.”

“ _What?!_ No way! Is he okay or did the ghoul eat him?”

“He’s in the infirmary right now, recovering. They say the ghoul nibbled him and took a few bites out of his _Arata_.”

_“Whoa…”_

“Yeah, Investigator Amon is the one who took the ghoul down.”

_“Wow!”_

“He took down an _SS-rated_ ghoul?! That’s amazing!”

Despite entering the CCG headquarters through the back entrance, they still managed to draw a crowd of curious CCG members. Amon tuned out their gossiping as he guided Eyepatch through the noisy, congested hallways. Only once the two of them had entered the lift, did silence finally envelop them in its welcome embrace.

“We’ll need to stop by one of the departments to get your photo taken. I’m afraid it’s unavoidable,” informed Amon as the lift began to descend. _The CCG would know his face._ Eyepatch nodded, understanding the repercussions. “I’ll stop by to talk with you soon.”

“I’ll look forward to it, Investigator Amon,” replied Eyepatch, a soft smile gracing his lips. Amon couldn’t recall ever giving the ghoul his name but he realised Eyepatch must have heard at least one of the other investigators mention it by now.

“Call me Amon. My full name is Amon Koutarou.” Amon smiled back.

“Mine is-”

_PING!_

_“This is floor B4. Please mind the doors,”_ a pre-recorded female voice interrupted Eyepatch as the lift arrived at their first destination, startling them.

“Ah, Investigator Amon,” a CCG investigator greeted him, “We were expecting you, bring the ghoul into this room over here and we’ll get started, shall we?” As the pair followed the investigator down the hall, the man explained the process. “Firstly, we’ll take a full-body photo so that the height can be recorded, then we’ll do two mug shots. Ideally, we would also like a photo of its kagune but usually the ghouls are too aggressive and the task is given to those in the lab before the quinque is produced. This ghoul looks amenable, shall we give it a go, Investigator Amon?”

 _‘If they have a photo of Eyepatch’s kagune, they’ll be able to identify him more quickly in the future but…I can’t disagree, it’ll raise suspicion.’_ Out loud, Amon replied with, “Sure.”

“Hold onto this, ghoul, and don’t try anything,” commanded the investigator as he handed the white-haired ghoul a board with the inscription: _#798._ “Good, now go and stand in front of that wall,” the man gestured to the wall opposite him with horizontal lines and numbers to measure a prisoner’s height. “Good ghoul, look at the camera now.”

Amon watched as Eyepatch stared into the camera lens, a neutral expression on his face. 

_Click!_

“Good ghoul. Don’t blink, I’ll take the first mug shot now,” the investigator explained as the camera zoomed in to capture its subject’s head and shoulders.

 _Click!_ “That’s it, now turn so I can get the side-view.” _Click!_

 _“Good ghoul,”_ the man praised a third time and Amon bristled at the tone. _Eyepatch is not a pet dog!_ “Let’s try to get a snap of that kagune, shall we? Be ready on stand-by, Investigator Amon.”

“Of course.” Amon replied through gritted teeth. If the other investigator noticed, he didn’t show it, instead an excited spark ignited in his eyes.

“Excellent!” The man gestured enthusiastically at the unmasked ghoul. “Go ahead and show us your kagune but don’t even think of using them.” Eyepatch avoided the man’s gaze, choosing to stare at one of the adjacent walls instead. “Show us which Rc type you have.”

 _Crack!_ The man flinched as the ghoul cracked an index finger, glaring at the investigator with molten silver eyes. “I-If you’re good, y-you’ll get an extra r-ration of m-m-meat,” the man stuttered nervously.

“I don’t want it.”

 _Crack._ Another finger.

“O-Organs?”

 _Crack._  “No.”

“A whole b-b-body then?”

 _Crack._ “I said _no_.”

“W-What d-d-do you want? You c-can’t ask for y-your freedom,” the man asked in an attempt to compromise with the ghoul.

 _“Obviously.”_ Eyepatch’s glare softened as his next words left his lips, “I’d like to be given some books.”

The investigator blinked at the unexpected request. “Books?”

 _‘Eyepatch enjoys reading?’_ Amon had wondered in the past if the eye-patched ghoul had any hobbies. ‘ _It suits him.’_

“Yes,” confirmed Eyepatch. “Books by the author Takatsuki Sen, if possible.”

“ _Deal._ Let’s see that kagune then,” the man smirked, his stutter vanishing as his excitement returned.

The two investigators watched as Eyepatch turned around so that his back was to them. With an almost sickening crackle, four crimson rinkaku burst through the pale skin on the ghoul’s exposed lower back. A vein-like pattern along the rinkaku limbs glowed and pulsed to a silent rhythm as Eyepatch’s single kakugan activated.

“So you’re a rinkaku, eh? Well…those look like they would be useful for-” The man cut himself off as his gaze shifted from the kagune to the ghoul’s mismatched eyes. _“A one-eyed ghoul?!”_

_Click-click-click-click._

“What a catch, Investigator Amon! You should be proud. I’ve never seen a one-eyed ghoul before, I thought they were just urban legends,” the investigator prattled as he snapped a series of photos, making sure to zoom in on the ghoul’s eyes. “This is a once in a lifetime opportunity!”

_Click-click-click-click-click-click-click!_

Amon sighed. _‘This is going to take a while…’_

* * *

“I’d liked to see Eyepatch in cell two, please.” Amon asked the security guard, flashing his ID card.

“Eyepatch? Hmm…” The woman scanned the sheet of paper on her clipboard, her frown growing with every line she read. “I’m sorry, Investigator Amon, but there’s no ghoul on the prisoner list with that alias.”

“What do you mean ‘it’s not on the list’? I brought Eyepatch in three days ago.”

“Hmm…” Hummed the woman as she gave the list another blasé glance.

“Number 798?” Prompted Amon in an attempt to jog the woman’s memory.

“Oh! You mean the SS-rated ghoul _Centipede!_ Yes, the ghoul is in cell two. Hold on, I’ll open the door to the interrogation room for you.”

“Thank you,” said Amon, politely, bowing before he entered the now open room. Inside the dark room there was a reinforced glass wall, splitting the area in half. The only furniture occupying the shadowy space being two lonely chairs, one on either side of the glass. Glancing to the other side, Amon noted that the ghoul still hasn’t been sent in so the investigator sat down on the uncomfortable chair and gazed unseeingly at his hands as he waited.

Light flooded into the room, chasing away the shadows for one brief moment when the door opened on the opposite side as a figure entered the room. Amon heard the second chair creak and the jingle of chains as someone sat down. “Amon,” greeted a soft voice.

Amon looked up into a pair of gentle grey eyes, so human yet belonging to a ghoul. “Eyepatch,” he returned the greeting in kind.

“You said you wanted to talk with me. I assume you have a lot of questions for me.” The expression on Eyepatch’s unmasked face was more amusement than exasperation as the beginnings of a smile twitched at the corners of his mouth.

“I do,” confirmed Amon, “ever since that night…” He trailed off as memories of rain and tears drowned his train of thoughts. “Why…did you not kill me…back then? You…Eyepatch…you let me go.”

“I didn’t want to kill you, Amon,” replied Eyepatch, honesty shining in his silver eyes. “I didn’t want to be a killer.”

 _“Please…don’t make me a killer.”_ The words that had haunted him for many nights echoed once again in Amon’s mind. “How do you get your food then? If you don’t…”

“It’s not just me, there are other ghouls too who don’t kill humans. Some never have to at all,” informed Eyepatch, surprising Amon.

“How?” Amon asked. _Never have to kill a human? At all? That’s impossible…right?_ He needed to know. Was everything they had been taught about ghouls in the Academy wrong?

“Think about it,” the ghoul raised a black-nailed finger, silencing Amon before he could protest. “You walk into a restaurant like _Big Girl_ and order a hamburger. Who killed the cow you are eating?” Eyepatch questioned.

“The workers at the slaughter house,” answered Amon, slowly, curious to see where this conversation was heading.

“Correct.” Eyepatch nodded, a pleased glimmer in his eyes. “You didn’t kill the cow, it was already dead. Does eating its meat make you the cow’s killer?”

“No. What does this have to do with-” Amon cut himself off, his eyes widening as the comprehension dawned on him. “Oh.” _He’s using an analogy. Eyepatch is comparing the beef to human meat and the ghouls to consumers._ “You get your meat from people who are already dead.”

“Yes, most ghouls find suicide victims or steal bodies from morgues to eat,” explained Eyepatch. All this information…it was so insightful. So _that’s why_ all those bodies have been disappearing from morgues. It wasn’t because the ghouls were too lazy or weak to hunt, it was because they _didn’t want_ to kill.

“Speaking of eating, have they fed you recently?” Amon asked, concerned. He knew the CCG had some meat to feed the ghouls they captured but the guards were known to neglect their duty at times, especially if they had grudges against the ghoul or all ghouls in general.

The white-haired ghoul tensed at Amon’s words and averted his eyes to the book resting in his lap. He traced a pale finger along the title ‘ _The Black Goat’s Egg’_ in silence. “Are you hungry, Eyepatch?”

 _“I…don’t want to eat anymore…”_ Amon recalled the ghoul’s words.

 _“No._ I don’t…” Eyepatch closed his eyes, grimacing at the reminder. “I don’t…eat human meat anymore. _I never wanted to,”_ his voice sounded small and broken, full of unspoken hurt; so unlike the confidence and determination Amon had heard in the ghoul’s shout that rainy night.

“What have you been eating then?” The ghoul hadn’t starved himself yet considering how he was still sitting across from Amon. _If he wasn’t eating humans there’s only one other option left…_

 _“Ghouls…”_ Eyepatch whispered, confirming the conclusion Amon had come to. “I have to become stronger. I need to protect everyone,” the ghoul muttered quietly, seemingly to himself, almost too quietly for Amon to hear.

“Who are they?” The one-eyed ghoul froze upon hearing Amon’s question, his eyes flicking up to meet the investigator’s gaze.

Mismatched eyes.

Silver and red, white and black.

Human.

Ghoul.

Those eyes stared back at him as the seconds ticked by. Their gazes locked in a silent exchange. Amon broke the eye contact first, thinking the ghoul wouldn’t answer yet no sooner had he done so, Eyepatch spoke up. “My best friend and…my co-workers, they’re my friends too now. They helped me after the accident, I’m grateful they were there for me.”

A comfortable silence lingered for a moment before Amon asked, “May I ask you another question, Eyepatch?”

“Mm-hmm,” the ghoul hummed, “What would you like to ask, Amon?”

“Do you enjoy reading?” Eyepatch stared at Amon for one long moment, astonished, before a warm smile graced his lips as a delighted sparkle entered his mismatched eyes.

“I do. Very much.”

“Have you finished reading that book yet?” Amon gestured at _The Black Goat’s Egg_ novel perched upon Eyepatch’s lap.

“Actually…” Eyepatch began, suddenly sheepish, “I’ve read this book a few times already.”

“The author is Takatsuki Sen, correct?” Amon recalled hearing the ghoul request the books written by that particular author.

“Yes, I enjoy her style of writing and I’ve found myself relating to the characters more than I’ve ever had before,” the more Eyepatch spoke, the more passionate and lighter his words became.

Amon wanted to hear more about Eyepatch and his passion for reading. “Have you read the other books they’ve given you then?”

“They only gave me this one,” replied the ghoul. However, upon seeing the ire on Amon’s face, with a hand curled around his chin, Eyepatch added: “I don’t mind, Amon, this…is more than enough for me.” Instantly, Amon calmed as the tension drained from his shoulders.

“What books would you recommend, Eyepatch?” Amon enquired, smiling. Eyepatch returned it, a content expression on his face as he launched into a long list of authors, genres and titles with Amon listening intently to his every word.

A knock on the door interrupted them and Amon stood up, stretching briefly, before striding over to answer it. “Yes?”

“Sorry for the interruption but the guards have informed me that they need to escort the ghoul back to its cell soon. They’ll be fetching the ghoul in a few minutes, Investigator Amon,” the lady from the desk informed.

“Thank you for notifying me, Miss.” The woman bowed and the door closed behind her with a modest _click._        

Amon turned to see Eyepatch stretching his back, the popping of his spine audible in the melancholy room. “Would you like me to bring you something next time, Eyepatch?” The white-haired ghoul paused as he considered Amon’s offer.

As he stretched an arm, Eyepatch glanced over his shoulder, a warm smile on his lips.

“A cup of black coffee would be nice…” He answered softly.

“I’ll bring you some next time then.” Amon promised, smiling back.

“I’ll look forward to it,” replied Eyepatch, lifting a hand in farewell, “I’ll be seeing you soon then, Amon?”

“Yes. I’ll see you soon, Eyepatch,” said Amon as he returned the gesture. Light poured into the dark room as the doors opened, causing Amon to shield his eyes briefly while they adjusted to the painfully bright illumination.

With a heavy heart, Amon watched as the four guards led Eyepatch out of sight, his white hair gilded in a halo of golden light as he stepped into the hallway.

_‘When will we be able to talk again, Eyepatch?’_

_‘Why…do I feel like it wouldn’t be any time soon?’_

* * *

 

**-End of Part One-**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> -Kaneki's number is 798 because in the anime (Season 2, Episode 6), you can see this number on Eyepatch's file when Amon and Hide bump into each other. 
> 
> Currently, there is around 3000 more words that I've written for this story but since it was getting rather long I decided to split it into parts. The next part is steadily on its way. :)


	2. Part Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Have some tissues ready because you will probably need them.

When Amon first received the quinque a week later, he didn’t think anything of it.

 

Amon was on his way to visit Shinohara in the infirmary when a third-ranked investigator approached him in the hallway, exclaiming: “Congratulations on capturing Centipede, Investigator Amon!” The investigator then deposited a silver briefcase into a bewildered Amon’s arms.

“Thank you, but…er…what is this about?” Amon inquired, baffled.

“Keep it,” insisted the investigator, “It’s a new quinque, a gift from the CCG to celebrate. It’s fresh out of the lab, they have only just finished making it,” he clarified.

 _“Oh?”_ Amon raised an eyebrow, glancing inquisitively at the object in his arms. “Is that so?”

“Yes, according to the scientists, they were having trouble wielding it during the testing. It even bit one of them in its kakuja mode!” The younger investigator explained, enthusiastically.

“It has a kakuja mode too?” Amon asked as he examined the exterior of the briefcase gifted to him, pleasantly surprised.

“Yes, they were very pleased with how successful it was considering the quinque is for combat and not defence like the _Arata_.”

 _‘Interesting…’_ Amon thought as he recalled Shinohara’s use of the Arata in the fight against the One-eyed Owl during the 11th Ward Battle. “Do you know what Rc type it is?”

“No, they didn’t tell me. I think it might be that new chimera quinque they’ve been developing using some of the kakuhou collected from the 11th Ward Battle. A koukaku and bikaku combination…it looks like they’re finally putting all those kakuhou to good use, eh?” The young investigator chirped cheerfully. “Chimera quinque are difficult to use and a _kakuja_ on top of _that_ is going to take some _real skill._ Good luck with controlling it, Investigator Amon!”

The third-ranked investigator strolled away, whistling as he went.

Amon sighed, his gaze drifting from the investigator’s retreating figure to the briefcase in his hands. _‘I’ll try it out when I get the chance, but first I want to visit Shinohara…’_

* * *

“Thank goodness. Then you’ll be discharged in a few days?” Amon queried, relieved.

“Yeah. Sorry to worry you,” replied Shinohara. Sunlight filtered through the blinds by his hospital bed, highlighting the healing man’s form with its pleasant glow.

“At the time, I thought it was too late for you,” said Amon, softly.

Shinohara gritted his teeth at the memory. “He was eating my Arata.”

“A kakuja…” Amon murmured as his most recent conversation with Eyepatch came to the forefront of his mind.

_“What have you been eating then?”_

_“Ghouls…”_

“They say that if you repeatedly commit cannibalism, you become a kakuja.” Shinohara recited, lifting a bandaged hand. “A kakuja?” He repeated, staring intently at his quivering hand. “No, more like a half-kakuja.” Shinohara’s shaking fingers curled into a weak fist. “Amon, he’s dangerous.”

 “Shinohara, he’s…in the cells…at headquarters.” Amon informed the older investigator.

“What?” Shinohara turned to shoot an astounded expression at Amon. “You captured him?”

“Yes, I did,” the younger investigator confirmed causing the surprise on Shinohara’s face to morph into an impressed smile. “Once you’re discharged, do you want to accompany me during my next visit?”

“When are you planning on visiting him?” Enquired Shinohara.

“In two days. I’ve been too busy with paperwork and ghouls to visit him again this past week,” replied Amon. 

“Two days?” Echoed Shinohara as he mulled over the dates the doctors had mentioned. “I don’t think I’ll be discharged by then…I’ll accompany you on the following visit instead.”

“He’ll like that,” mused Amon, fondly.

 _“Who?_ The _ghoul?”_ Shinohara asked, his eyebrows furrowing.

“Yeah. Eyepatch told me that he wanted to apologise to you,” recounted Amon, “for hurting you.”

“Hmm…” Shinohara hummed, incredulous. “An apology from a ghoul, huh? I would like to hear it… Tell him that I will speak with him the next time you visit.”

“I will.”

* * *

Amon carried the briefcase around with him as he worked, like he had done with his previous quinque: Kura.

Two days passed since he had spoken with Shinohara.

A week and two days had passed since his talk with Eyepatch.  

_He still hasn’t opened the briefcase._

* * *

The welcoming scent of coffee enveloped Amon in its embrace as he entered Anteiku, the jingling of a bell signalling his entrance. Taking a seat at a table beside the window, Amon opened the provided menu and scanned its list of hot coffee drinks.

 _‘Eyepatch said he wanted some black coffee…why are there so many different blends?! Jamaica Blue Mountain, Hawaii Kona, Mocha Java, Yemen Mocha, Angolan, Brazilian and Kenyan…Which one should I choose?’_  Pondered Amon as he grew increasingly more stressed with each listed blend. _‘Which one would Eyepatch enjoy the most?’_

“Welcome to Anteiku. May I take your order, Sir?” A waitress with dark purple hair interrupted Amon’s spiralling train of thoughts. _Perhaps she could help him pick?_

“What blend of black coffee would you recommend? I have a friend who would like some but I’m unsure which blend he would like most.”

“Hmm…I would recommend today’s special blend. It’s a Jamaica Blue Mountain blend with a medium roast that brings out the beans’ flavours,” she explained, helpfully. “If your friend is a fan of coffee, he will certainly enjoy it.”

“Then I’ll take one short black of this Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee to go,” said Amon, relieved.

“And what size cup would you like?” The waitress asked as she took note of Amon’s order.

“Large, please,” he replied, knowing the ghoul would be grateful for it.

“Thank you very much. The coffee will be ready shortly.”

As he waited, Amon gazed out of the window at the people bustling by, inhaling the rich aroma of freshly brewed coffee. The first question he’ll ask Eyepatch would be what kind of coffee he enjoys, that way Amon would be able to bring Eyepatch his favourite coffee the next time he visits along with Shinohara.

 “One large, short black, Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee to go,” announced the waitress as she handed Amon a takeaway coffee cup. “I hope your friend enjoys it.” Amon thanked her and paid for the coffee.

“I’m sure he will, thank you for recommending it.”

The paper cup warmed his hand as Amon stepped outside into the chilly air. Amon smiled at it, proudly. He couldn’t wait to give Eyepatch the coffee. 

With one hand holding the hot drink and the other, his briefcase, Amon made his way back to headquarters.

* * *

“I’m here to see Eyepatch in cell two. I’d like access to the interrogation room, please.”

The desk lady glanced up at, recognition lighting in her eyes. “I remember. Centipede again, right?”

“Yes, that’s right,” confirmed Amon.

“I’m sorry but that’s not possible, Investigator Amon,” she informed as she straightened a stack of papers.

 _“What?_ Why?” Amon asked, dismayed. “Was he transferred to Cochlea?”

“No.”

“A different ward then?” He guessed.

 _“No,”_ the woman repeated.

“Some other cell? Can I see him?”

“No, haven’t you heard? I was sure they would have told you…” She trailed off, her eyes glancing from the coffee Amon held in one hand to the briefcase he was carrying in the other.

“They didn’t,” stated Amon, displeased.

“A one-eyed ghoul has a lot of potential. We’ve never seen one up close before much less captured one. It was a rare opportunity so they took it to the lab to harvest its kakuhou,” the woman explained.

Amon froze, his mind halting on the words ‘ _harvest’_ and ‘ _kakuhou’_.

_‘What?’_

Oblivious to Amon’s numbing mind, the woman continued to inform him. “One-eyed ghouls are said to be more powerful than ordinary ghouls, they were excited to see just how powerful the quinque would be if they made one from such a ghoul. I heard they gave the quinque to you, Investigator Amon, so I assumed you had already known about this.”

 _‘They turned Eyepatch into a quinque? And I have…Eyepatch…’_ Amon stared at the briefcase in his hands as horror tore at his chest, clawing and shredding at his thudding heart before wriggling up into his throat. _‘No…this can’t be…’_

“Investigator Amon?” At the sound of the woman’s voice, Amon blinked and forcefully ripped his gaze away from his trembling grip on the briefcase.

**_The briefcase Eyepatch was in._ **

“Sorry, but I need to go back to my office…I…I’ve got some files that need finishing,” he lied.

“I see…” The woman frowned at the obvious excuse. “You should go and finish them before you run out of time.”

Amon fled the room before the woman could wish him good luck with the quinque as well.

* * *

_“It’s not the ghouls who are screwing up the world…it’s you too.”_

_“Don’t make me a killer.”_

_“I…don’t want to eat anymore…”_

_“I’ll be seeing you soon then, Amon?”_

“Eyepatch…” Amon murmured as he stared at the briefcase lying unresponsively upon his apartment’s only coffee table. “I brought the coffee you asked for.” He placed the coffee cup with its gradually cooling brew next to the ever-silent briefcase. “I hope you like it…if only…”

_‘If only you were here to drink it, I would like to have had a long chat with you again.’_

Hesitantly, Amon lowered his hand onto the briefcase’s surface, silver like Eyepatch’s irises. The metal felt cold beneath his fingertips, reminding Amon of the shackles he had restrained Eyepatch with that day.

Realisation gripped his heart in its chokehold. _‘It was my fault. I was the one who caught him. I put the handcuffs on him and led him to his death. This is all my fault.’_

“Eyepatch…I’m sorry…if only I hadn’t stopped you…you could have escaped…” Amon’s vision blurred as a sob he had been suppressing fled out of his parted lips. “They wouldn’t have turned you into _this.”_

 _‘That’s right…it wasn’t just me who did this…’_ Amon swiped a hand across his watery eyes and stood up, shrugging on his coat. He reached over to pick up the briefcase but paused, his hand hovering over the handle.

“I’ll see you later…Eyepatch,” he promised. Sending one last sorrowful glance over his shoulder at the voiceless briefcase, Amon left his apartment with a heavy heart.

* * *

Amon strode into the 20th Ward’s CCG lab, maintaining an indifferent mask on his face as he bottled the seething resentment inside.

“Oh! Investigator Amon, what a pleasure it is to see you here. Does your new quinque work well for you?” Asked the Head Researcher of the 20th Ward, approaching Amon with a cheerful smile upon his face.

“I came here to have some questions answered,” replied Amon, coldly.                  

“Ask away and I’ll answer them to the best of my ability.”

“Why wasn’t I told about the decision to turn Eyepatch into a…quinque?” Amon snapped. If the scientist was bothered by Amon’s sharp tone, he didn’t show it.

“I can see why you would be upset about that, you are the investigator who captured it after all. Well…when we saw the photos of the ghoul and its single kakugan, we were thrilled at the opportunity presented to us. To think we would be the first to create a quinque from a one-eyed ghoul! Imagine the _possibilities!_ The _power_ we will wield!”  The scientist exclaimed, his eyes shining with wonder. “This project had _so much potential!_ We couldn’t wait any longer. As soon as we got permission from the higher-ups, we got to work on extracting the one-eye’s kakuhou.”

“What happened to keeping Eyepatch alive for information?” Amon asked through gritted teeth.

The scientist raised an eyebrow. “We were informed that you had already interrogated the ghoul once. Therefore, we assumed you had already extracted enough information, Investigator Amon.”

“I was told the quinque bit someone,” recounted Amon, changing the subject before he said something he would regret.

“Yes, it was my assistant. None of us could control it. So we thought Arima Kishou would be able to handle the quinque, we planned on giving it to him but…” The scientist trailed off, frowning.

“But?” Amon prompted.

“We thought we should see if you could control it first. The ghoul wanted it too and you were the investigator who caught it so-”

 “Wait.” Amon interrupted the scientist, cutting his explanation short. “What do you mean _‘the ghoul wanted it too’?”_

“Before we took the ghoul to the lab, we asked it if it had any last words or requests, it is a mandatory procedure we must follow. One request was that should it be turned into a quinque, the quinque should be given to Amon Koutarou.”

 _‘Eyepatch wanted me to wield the quinque they made from him?’_ Even after he was gone, the ghoul still continued to astonish Amon. “Is there a written record of these last words?”

“No, we don’t bother complying with a ghoul’s last wish. They don’t deserve it, so why should we bother wasting our time on them?” Grumbled the scientist. “Now, about that quinque-”

“I’m keeping the quinque,” asserted Amon, glaring at the scientist, determination burning in his eyes. " _Even_ if I can’t control him."

Without deeming to give the man a second glance, Amon stalked away, leaving the scientist to stare at his retreating form in stupefied bafflement.

* * *

Cell two had all the basics a prisoner would need. It had a cot with a thin, fraying blanket; a toilet and a sink with running water; it even had a _working_ lightbulb. This cell was where the infamous, SS-rated, eye-patched ghoul had been held prisoner.

 _‘Eyepatch deserved better than this.’_ Amon thought as his gaze drifted from the cracking paint on the wall to the book lying forlornly upon the cot’s single pillow.

 _The Black Goat’s Egg._ Its familiar title stared back at him, dredging up memories of a black-nailed finger tracing the letters with a tender fondness.

Carefully, Amon lifted the book up into his hands and gave the room a final scan before leaving. However, just as Amon took his first step away from the bed, something light collided with his foot and was sent clattering across the floor. Startled, Amon glanced around until his gaze fell upon a pen lying innocently by the wall.

 _‘Strange…’_ Thought Amon as he plucked the pen from the hard floor. _‘Why would he have a pen in his cell?’_

* * *

That night, a book and pen joined the silver briefcase on Amon’s coffee table…

* * *

“Good morning, Amon,” greeted Shinohara as Amon entered the lift to the offices with him.

“Oh, Shinohara, they finally released you? How are you feeling?” Amon asked, pleasantly surprised to see that the investigator had been discharged.

“I feel well enough to take on a few ghouls,” replied Shinohara, cheerfully. “Speaking of ghouls, why don’t we visit this ghoul of yours that you captured?” Amon froze, nausea bubbling in his throat.

_Eyepatch wanted to apologise to Shinohara but now…_

“Eyepatch…”  Amon’s voice sounded hoarse and he coughed to clear his throat.

“Hmm?” Shinohara hummed, giving the younger investigator his full attention as he waited for Amon to speak again.

“The _lab_ took Eyepatch…Shinohara…they turned him into a _quinque.”_ Amon’s voice cracked on the last word as his grief made itself known.

“That’s…unfortunate,” commented Shinohara, sympathetically. _Unfortunate is an understatement._ “I was hoping to hear the ghoul’s apology from the ghoul himself. May I ask who the quinque was given to?”

“They gave the quinque to _me_ , Shinohara,” replied Amon, quietly. “They said that Eyepatch wished for me to wield it.”

“I’m surprised they complied with the ghoul’s wishes,” remarked the older investigator. “The last time they had done so was nearly ten years ago.” Shinohara’s gaze dropped to Amon’s empty hands. “Where’s this new quinque of yours, Amon? I would like to see it.”

“He’s at my apartment. I haven’t opened the briefcase yet,” answered Amon.

“Why don’t you have it with you, Amon? You know how dangerous it is to go around unarmed,” admonished Shinohara.

Staring unseeingly at his clenching fists, Amon said, “It’s better if Eyepatch stays at home. Even if I am attacked, I wouldn’t be able to open it anyway. I can’t…just…not yet…” 

 _PING! “This is floor seven. Please mind the doors,”_ announced a recorded voice as the lift’s doors parted.

“Oh and Amon?” Shinohara came to a halt only a step out of the lift and turned around to face the younger investigator still in the elevator. “When you feel ready, spend some time practicing with your quinque. If the ghoul wanted you to wield it, I’m sure he would be happy if you spar with him.”

As the elevator’s doors began to close, Amon’s lips twitched upwards into a small smile.

* * *

As he walked towards his office, Amon shuffled through the pile of papers he was carrying, giving them a brief scan to see what papers he had been given. _No. 440…No.536…_

_…No.622…No.659…No.727…_

Amon’s feet came to a stop. _No.798._

The file had been updated since Amon had last seen it. A pair of familiar silver eyes met his. Despite the emotionless expression on the mug shot, Eyepatch’s eyes were smouldering with a fierce resolve, unshakeable in the anguish that threatened to extinguish it.

Amon noted that the pile of photos (attached via paperclip) was considerably thicker compared to those on the other ghouls’ profiles. After flicking through them, he soon discovered the reason being was that a majority of them were photos of Eyepatch’s kakugan.

_A single kakugan._

_Yasuhisa Kurona and Nashiro. They were human in the past…_

_‘How could a human become a ghoul?’_

_Eyepatch had the same eyes._

_‘If it’s possible for a human to become a ghoul then…’_

“Thank you very much!” A voice chirped and too late did Amon realise that he was standing too close to the corner as a body barrelled into him, scattering the papers he was holding over the floor. “Oh! I’m sorry!”

“Nagachika?” Amon asked the bowing boy. He had thought that voice sounded vaguely familiar.

“Oh…Mr. Amon.” Nagachika Hideyoshi replied, confirming Amon’s suspicions.

“I should apologise. Are you all right?” Enquired Amon, concerned.

“Yes.” Upon seeing Amon kneeling down to gather the disseminated papers, Nagachika swiftly joined him. “Ah, I’ll do that,” he offered.

Before Amon could reach it first, the young assistant scooped Eyepatch’s file up from the floor. He paused, staring at the top secret file, making no move in handing it back to Amon. 

“Nagachika?” Amon’s voice fell on deaf ears as Nagachika’s eyes remained fixed upon the page before him, frozen. “Hey, _Nagachika.”_

Nagachika blinked, causing a tear to roll down his cheek. “Huh?”

Amon was alarmed. Usually, Nagachika was like the sun, he was _always_ cheerful to the point it was almost blinding to the often gloomy CCG workers. “What’s wrong?”

“Oh…” Nagachika brushed the tear away and gave a somewhat forced-sounding chuckle. “It’s nothing. I was just thinking, I’ve heard a lot about this ‘Eyepatch’ lately. The status just shocked me that’s all. ‘ _Eliminated’_ already, huh?” Something about the way Nagachika spoke sounded off, even to Amon who had little contact with the newly employed assistant.

Amon remained silent as he finished collecting all the fallen papers. Once done, the two stood.

“Well, thank you very much,” said Nagachika as he dipped his head at Amon, holding onto his red and white cap with one hand.

“Yeah…Good work.” Amon replied. He watched as the assistant walked away, frowning at the subtle trembling of Nagachika’s shoulders.

* * *

Amon sighed as he trudged down the deserted hallway, tired after spending the day sorting through those documents. His mind wandered to the silver briefcase sitting upon his coffee table at home. He didn’t want to leave Eyepatch waiting and alone for much longer than he was forced to.

  _“Why…‘Neki…”_ The muffled voice, barely heard over Amon’s heavy footfalls, caught the investigator’s attention. He scanned the empty, white hallway for the source of the sound, straining his ears.

 _There!_ It was coming from the male’s restroom.

Stifled sobbing filtered in through a crack in the door beside Amon. _“….Rabbits…die of loneliness…I can’t…please…”_  

 _‘That voice…Nagachika?’_  

 _“You didn’t…deserve to…die like this, Kaneki!”_ Nagachika wailed and Amon felt his heart wrench at the sheer grief that permeated those mournful words.

Amon backed away from the door, his mind whirling. Nagachika had been upset earlier when Amon had spoken to him. So _this_ was why? Someone Nagachika knew, someone called Kaneki, had _died?_

Amon wanted to go in there and offer Nagachika his support. After grieving Mado Kureo’s death, he knew how much a little bit of comfort and support can help. Amon didn’t know how he would have coped if it wasn’t for Shinohara.

He _wanted_ to help Nagachika but…

_How?_

He didn’t know Nagachika very well, they have only spoken a handful of times. If he was to go in there now, would Nagachika appreciate it knowing Amon had witnessed him during such a private moment?

Amon’s hand hovered over the door’s surface, uncertain. _Should he?_

 _“Don’t l-leave me…K-Kaneki…”_ Nagachika pleaded brokenly and Amon could hear the way his breath hitched with each body-wracking sob. 

He should but…

_He didn’t._

* * *

The next day, Nagachika was absent from work.

Amon left the briefcase at home again.

_He still hasn’t opened it._

* * *

With a relieved moan, Amon sank into the soft cushions of his sofa. His back _ached_ after sitting through all those meetings in those _awful_ , hard, spine-breaking chairs. Why couldn’t the CCG invest in some more _comfortable_ and _investigator-friendly_ chairs?

Amon yawned and cracked one bleary eye open, only to find his coffee table empty. Shooting up onto his feet, heart-racing, Amon frantically searched the living room.

_Did somebody steal Eyepatch?! Where is the briefcase?! How could I lose it?!_

His foot bumped into something under the coffee table and Amon’s heart leapt in response. Peering under the table, Amon collapsed onto his knees and sighed in relief.

“There you are, Eyepatch. I thought I lost you,” he said, fondly, as he carefully manoeuvred the briefcase into his arms. “Ah…your book.”

The novel that had been sitting on the table alongside the briefcase was now lying upon the floor. _‘Did something knock them over?’_ Amon wondered as he plucked the book up from where it had fallen. Standing up, Amon carried his burden over to his sofa, scanning the room for clues as he did so. _‘That’s strange…there’s nothing here that could have knocked them over.’_

Amon settled back down onto the couch, Eyepatch on the seat beside him with the book upon his lap. He traced the title with a finger absentmindedly as he debated whether or not he should read it.

_Why not? He has time for it._

Curious to see what kind of book had enraptured Eyepatch, Amon turned the cover to the first blank page of _The Black Goat’s Egg_.

_Except it wasn’t blank._

 In neat, elegant handwriting, a letter was inked into the page.

_Dear Amon,_

_I am aware that the CCG does not bother recording the last wishes of ghouls, so I have written this for you so that you may know them._

_Firstly, should they harvest my kakuhou and turn me into a quinque, I want you, Amon Koutarou, to wield me. I know this might be hard for you, but please don’t leave me alone inside that briefcase._

_I don’t want to be alone._

_Ever since that night we first exchanged blows with each other, I had wondered what it would have been like to fight beside you rather than against you._

_Take my quinque with you. Let me help you protect them._

_Also, in the back of this book there is another letter. Please tear it out and give it to Nagachika Hideyoshi. When I am gone, please look after Hide and make sure that he lives the long, happy life that he deserves._

_I wish I could continue protecting Hide…and everyone at Anteiku._

_Remember our conversations, Amon. Not all ghouls are murderers just as not all humans are murderers. I have learned to see the world from both sides, human and ghoul. The world may be wrong but perhaps we were meant to fix it. Surely, one day, humans and ghouls will be able to coexist peacefully together?_

_I’m glad we were able to talk, Amon. I truly enjoyed every moment of it. I’m still looking forward to that coffee you promised me. I hope it’s not instant coffee (and let me warn you, if you’re trying to win a ghoul over with coffee, go for the freshly brewed coffee. The best coffee is at Anteiku.). At the moment though, I wouldn’t mind it even if you brought me instant coffee (bring a good brand like Blondy at least). The CCG doesn’t serve coffee to its prisoners._

_I’ve tried looking for a way to escape, but the CCG hasn’t been taking any chances with me._

_I overheard the guards whispering about how the scientists at the lab want to turn me into a quinque. Soon. Without telling you too._

_It doesn’t look like we’ll be speaking again, Amon. I really wish I could have spoken with you more, there’s so much about ghouls that is misunderstood or remains unheard by humans._

_Look after this book for me and read it if you want. I’ve written my list of recommended books, which I had mentioned last time, in the back after Hide’s letter._

_Take care,_

_Kaneki Ken._

* * *

 

**-End of Part Two-**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> -Blondy: a popular, fairly cheap brand of instant coffee in Tokyo Ghoul, available in jars or canned from vending machines. It is extremely popular with ghouls such as Nishiki.

**Author's Note:**

> If any of you have seen the Quinque art I posted, yes, this is the fic I was talking about. ;)
> 
> Feel free to tell me what you think of it.  
> Until next time,  
> ~PurpleFlyingBird.


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